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New to MF digital with 100mp camera - benefits of big/heavy tripod, given electronic shutter?

ThdeDude

Active member
Always carry a little more tripod than you need was the advice I was given.
Actually, IMO very good advice.

Had the situation where I went hiking with my (new) "super lightweight" tripod (one pound less than my "lightweight" tripod), but then when needed was too flimsy, frustrating to set up, and too short. Consequently, got reclassified/repurposed as mountaineering (non-hiking) tripod.
 
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Godfrey

Well-known member
"Jon Warwick" (don't know whether his real name or a pseudonym) is the person who started this thread and who asked the question regarding tripods.

Wouldn't it be courteous when posting in this threat to be constructive to what has been asked and what is the subject-matter of this thread!
It is unnecessary to be so literal and exacting. The subject of appropriate tripod for use is broad and has many useful directions for compromise.

G
 

Geoff

Well-known member
All of the points raised are valid and valuable. There are (as noted above) many variables to be considered. "Craftsmanship" and knowing how/when to use your tools is a part of this discussion. I have a few tripods, from super-light and modest weight up to heavier and more secure. Sometimes had to adapt:
- was shooting the moon with a 300mm lens and the Arca D4 (which is lovely), trying to find the right balance of ISO, aperture and shutter speed. Struggling with a wee bit of blur, even with mirror lock up and leaf shutters. Use of a Linhof 3D Micro (kind of like the Cube) settled everything down - its a massive block and helps dampen/stabilize..
- once in Ecuador jungles sadly without a tripod. Someone lent a Manfrotto monopod with three little 6" flat leg feet on its bottom. With a leaf shutter, keeping the height under 3', delayed shutter, and a very light touch - able to get shots 4 or even up to 8 seconds sharp. It made no sense, except that if there isn't much that is moving, sometimes it's possible. And of course, there was no wind.
- used a small travel tripod (one of those 15" with integral ball head) in a pinch (the tripod with you is better than one at home), but limit it to only top two leg extensions - as the bottom ones are the worst... small and wobbly. Put a hand on it to stabilize .... against even more rules....
- cantilever columns (like center posts) get less secure exponentially by length, so the difference between 3" and 12" is a lot.
All to say technique matters.
 

JeffK

Well-known member
I’ve got a Gitzo GT5543LS. It looks bulky, but light in the hand and can carry for awhile. I definitely appreciate the stability with the gear I put on it.

81597302-52D8-4498-AA31-CDE2FC19092D.jpeg
 

docholliday

Well-known member
I’ve got a Gitzo GT5543LS. It looks bulky, but light in the hand and can carry for awhile. I definitely appreciate the stability with the gear I put on it.

View attachment 186499
Looks just like mine with the newer triangle spider ... you're the 5th person I know who uses a GT554x with Z1 as their stable platform. I have a quick change on mine so I swap between geared and Z1 depending on the requirements. Welcome to the "club"!
 

JeffK

Well-known member
Looks just like mine with the newer triangle spider ... you're the 5th person I know who uses a GT554x with Z1 as their stable platform. I have a quick change on mine so I swap between geared and Z1 depending on the requirements. Welcome to the "club"!
Thanks, I actually have the arca Swiss quick change kit. I haven’t attached it yet. I’m looking for a leveler 75 to add to kit.
 

bab

Active member
After reading these posts I concur that the best test for the answer to the question of stability which for me was using live view to determine vibrations. I had a vibration device that I used on my floor stand once a long time ago when shooting macros live view proved to be a better indicator of vibration. Live view will also show vibrations after the camera exposes the image which allows one to figure what lag time to set between sequential captures. As for electronic shutter that’s really only one part of the equation however if your able to punch in using live view with a longer lens during any situation you will immediately realize if movement occur. This can be from wind, ground, camera strap knockin, filter moving, someone walking close by, waves crashing or unstable tripod ad or connection points with head and tripod.
 

SylB

Well-known member
Looks just like mine with the newer triangle spider ... you're the 5th person I know who uses a GT554x with Z1 as their stable platform. I have a quick change on mine so I swap between geared and Z1 depending on the requirements. Welcome to the "club"!
I would gladly join the club, with GT5542LS, arca swiss quick change system but to switch between D4 geared and P0...
 

KC_2020

Active member
I've been carrying a Matthews zippered, fillable sand/rock/water bag for the last couple of decades. I've hung it under the center of my 12' tall Gitzo when I stood beside it on a 15' ladder shooting architectural images, under my little Gitzo traveller carbon when back packing and under the several others sizes Gitzo I own. It adds mass, stability and dampens vibrations with all of them and is easily transported empty then filled on location.
 

ThdeDude

Active member
Matthews ... fillable sand/rock/water bag for the last couple of decades. I've hung it under the center of my 12' tall Gitzo ... under my little Gitzo traveller carbon .... It adds mass, stability and dampens vibrations.
Thanks for the recommendation. However, thecentercolumn testing of weight hung below tripod did give mixed results.

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SrMphoto

Well-known member
I assume that the stability of a tripod can be increased by reducing its height. That makes tiltable EVF and tiltable rear LCD very useful.
 

docholliday

Well-known member
I assume that the stability of a tripod can be increased by reducing its height. That makes tiltable EVF and tiltable rear LCD very useful.
The problem with that is that it also changes the perspective of the image itself and either 1) adds unnecessary distortion or 2) increases foreground coverage. Shooting architecture or portraits with a tripod set low simply for stability can be distastrous to the results (unless you like cartoonish castles, up-nose shots, or intend to use a lot of rise/fall). I've shot ads for cars where I needed my full tripod waaay up in the air for the proper perspective - and needed a set of riser cubes to put under the tripod legs to even get it up there.
 
The problem with that is that it also changes the perspective of the image itself and either 1) adds unnecessary distortion or 2) increases foreground coverage. Shooting architecture or portraits with a tripod set low simply for stability can be distastrous to the results (unless you like cartoonish castles, up-nose shots, or intend to use a lot of rise/fall). I've shot ads for cars where I needed my full tripod waaay up in the air for the proper perspective - and needed a set of riser cubes to put under the tripod legs to even get it up there.
Yes, that's very interesting and as the OP, the key reasons for me looking at the taller tripods of around 175cm owe to pretty much what you discuss for your points 1) and 2). Also, when on the side of a hill (doing landscapes), I tend to find the leg down the hill needs as much height as it can get to compensate for the slope.

Regarding SrMphoto's comment, I certainly think a tiltable rear LCD is very useful indeed and it's partly what attracted me to the GFX100S .... in my specific case, though, the benefit that I expect to get from the tiltable LCD is when I'm standing BELOW the camera when it's high on a tripod!

With my 5x4 I'm frequently (nearly always) using front rise, but with a camera like the GFX with no movements I always feel like I'm trying to get up higher to help offset (even it's a little bit) the distortion of the camera pointing upwards, which at least reduces some of the amount of correction to be done in post. I know there are even taller 2+ meter high tripods out there too, which would probably be ideal for me ....but the folded length of these tripods is perhaps just too much for hiking it seems, even if the weight is fine because I am saving a few kilos in load by switching from a 5x4 outfit and into the much lighter medium-format Fuji.
 

docholliday

Well-known member
Riser cubes! Never stop learning. (Actually, could be a neat idea to prevent tripod legs from sinking in wet sand.)
You definitely wouldn't want to use them there... the wood would rot and you'd need a whole grip truck to carry them around. Unlike the lightweight ones used for advertising displays in stores, these are fairly solid and weigh about 20-30lbs each. Think really heavy duty apple boxes...

They are great in studio to make a shooting table, sit/stand on, and raise the tripod legs if I'm outside and can't take a studio stand. Meanwhile, upside down, they're hollow so they make great gear transports other than the weight.
 

KC_2020

Active member
Thanks for the recommendation. However, thecentercolumn testing of weight hung below tripod did give mixed results.

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I hope you will understand why I'm going to trust my 30+ years of personal experience and not bother to click on the link you provided.
 

ThdeDude

Active member
Thecentercolumn may not have tested under adverse condition (wind!) where any additional stability might show.

I once considered using an elastic rope looped and fixated under the tripod base (or center column, if present) and if windy to step inside with one feet and fixate it on the ground, thereby stabilizing the tripod. I decided against in favor of a slight larger and heavier tripod.
 
So as the OP, i think i've now narrowed down my choice to a couple of options, being either the RRS TFC-24L or TFC-34L.

This is mainly because
(i) both extend to the height that I'm seeking, being c 170cm high with no center column, and
(ii) both are pretty narrow in terms of packed diameter due to the Fixed Apex "TFC" design (more so than the RRS Versa "TVCs" or Gitzo Systematics which have bigger head plates), which might help keep it compact on a backpack for hiking.

On paper, the differences seem not massive between the TFC-24L and TFC-34L, ie, respectively their folded length is 59cm and 61cm (so very similar), their max height is 168cm and 174cm (again, very similar), and load capacity is 32kg and 36kg. Both are presumably ample in terms of load capacity for my GFX100S and max 80mm lens, and certainly a lot lot more suitable for my needs than my current Gitzo 1 Series Mountaineer that's short without the center column and weighs less than only 1.3kg! The weights of these RRS models are roughly 1.67kg and 2.1kg, respectively, so some difference between them that might be more noticeable when carrying up the mountains.

So my question is whether anyone has practical experience of both the 2 and 3 Series tripods from RRS ....do you find there to be much difference in stability owing to the different width of leg tubes and different weights .....does the RRS 3 Series feel noticeably "bulkier" in use versus the RRS 2 Series ...and is this difference likely worth it for a 100mp camera that i'd often use for landscapes?

Many thanks for your help.
 
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